Apparatus for manufacturing reflector lamp bulbs



Aug. 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET Ax. 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS lO Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed July 16, 1952 Aug. 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,415

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS original Filed July 1e, 1952 1o sheets-sneer 2 lrwvewbovs: Kewwe'fth W. RegmoLds,

John A.B`|l,l,5c CL CPOVd E Rusch,

The AfL-ftorneg.

ug- 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi .9. m f/Z 77 f Vif?" Irwevbos: Kermeth W Regnotds, John ABLLSOD, CLFH'OYC ERauSch,

Their A'ftovneg.

K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS A 1o sheets-sheet 4 ln ma s v ww o MR qu BE. m Ad J/ V n@ n h I O+ `Ou www. Nw Q Ein:

s i/X l EE L S5 Kermefbh W. RegnoLds,

Aug. 30, 1955 original Filed July 16, 1952 TheirN Aetelvneg.

AUS 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnvenctors: Kennecth W. RegnoLds John ALtsOn, Cteord ERausch,

Tlfwee- Actrtovneg.

Aug. 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET Ax. 2,715,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig@ W W i l lrwervlov: E Kenne=th W. Reynolds,

John A BLLson, CLF'f`-Ovd ERausch,

Theirv ACttorneH.

Aug. 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,715,416

l APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Fi .14. M i

/44 Compressed .99 #fr Kompl-assed lrwewtos: Kennevth W. Reynolds, 93 Y John A.BLLSOT1,

b5 W. /MM

Theh- Afttovneg.

Aug. 30, l1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,415

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBSv Original Filed July 16, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 s d h @ma wd Snom D rwpw OR.||. LcbwE/m D A d A @HDV V .T O n .MMT U CH b AUS 30, 1955 K. w. REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 Fgigpm.

Fig/zz. Z/Z ZH ne z/7 2^ ,fm m il S6 MZ .5 3 l 2,3

' h W. Regnobds, John A.Bil,l,5on, Ctiewf'orvd E. Rausch,

Aug. 30, 1955 K w, REYNOLDS ET AL 2,716,416

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING REFLECTOR LAMP BULBS Original Filed July 16, 1952 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Figzs.

LINE

lm/enctovs: 52 Kenneth W. Reynolds, John A.B'|l,l,son, CLcFlovd BRauSch,

Theirv Aetctovneg.

United SteCSnfQ i" t1 l 2,716,416 I p APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING K REELECTOR LAMP BULBS' Kenneth W. Reynolds, Mayfield Heights, John A. unison, Warrensvlle Heights, and Clifford E. Rausch, Warren, Ohio, assignors to xGeneral.''Electric Company, a corporation ofvlblewYolrk` 'i n Original application July 16,-1952,-Serial No. 299,286. Divided and this application October 19,1954, Serial No. 463,131

' 6 claims. (Cl. 13A-ps3) Our'invention relatesto the manufacture of metallic coated glass lamp bulbs orsimilar hollow glass articles, and more particularly to apparatus for removing'the metallic `coating from'tselected areas'of the inner walls of the bulbs, in particular, from the bowlfends-thereof. `This application is a division of'our co-pending application Serial No. 299,286, led July 16, 1952, and assigned to the assignee of the present application;

In the production of glass lamp bulbs having a metallic reflecting coating on certain selected'areas of their inner walls, the'com'mon practice is to first coat substantially the entire inner surface of the bulb either by depositing metallic silver or other like metallic reflective coating material from a solution, or by thermally-vaporizing the coating metal onto the bulb twall while the latter is in a partially evacuated condition. Subsequently, the metallic coating is Vremoved from that larea of the bulb inner wall which is to be left clear. Thus, in the production of a metallic reflector coated bulb intended for direct lighting purposes, the metallic coating is removed from the'rounded or bowl end portion of the bulb up to substantially the line of maximum diameterfthereof. In this operation it is highly desirable that the metallic coating have a sharp, clean cut-olf line, and further that this cut-off line be accurately and uniformly located in the bulbs in accordance withv the optical effect which is desired. It is also of great importance .that the coating removal operation be carried out in a way such as not to damage or impair the retained reector coating in any way.

The procedure most generally employed at present for removing the metallic coating from the bowl end of an interiorly coated lamp rbulb consists in chemically dissolving the metallic coating off such bulb wall portion by carefully lling the coated bulb, while held in an upright neckup position, to the desired cut-off level with a suitable solvent or acid dissolving solution and, after permitting the solvent or acid to remain in the bulb for the required length of time to dissolve the metaly of the coating up to the desired cut-olf line, then removing the dissolving solution from the bulb.V With such a process, however, it is incumbent that certain precautions be observed in order to obtain finished bulbs of uniform character and of satisfactory high quality. Thus, in order to obtain accurate anduniformly located reflector coating cut-off lines in the finished bulbs, it is necessary to supply measured charges of the dissolving solution to the coated bulbs and to predetermine the volume of such charges in eXact accordance with the level to' which the coating is to be removed. It is also extremely important that the solvent charges be introduced into the bulb without any splashing and in a condition substantially devoid of air bubbles since otherwise objectionable pinholes woud be formed in theretained reflector coating due to the spattering thereonto of particles of solvent resulting either from the aforementioned splashing thereof or from the bursting of the air bubbles after rising to the surface of the solvent in the bulb. Likewise, after the withdrawal of the measured charge of dissolving solution from the bulb, it is impera- 2,716,416 Patented Aug.` 30,*y 19.55

tive that no dropsofthe withdrawn-solution bev allowed to fall back into the bulb where they would spatterxonto.

the portion'of the reflector coating tozbe retained and Ithus also form objectionable pinholes/therein.'v In addition,1in carrying out sucha dissolving process, care must bev taken to avoid the possibility of drops of solvent running ydown the'side walls of thebulbs over thel portions of the. coating to beretained with vresultant impairment thereofa i vIt is an object of our invention,l therefore to provide apparatus for removing" metallic coating vmaterial'ffrom the interior bowl end surfacey vofuawlamp bulb or similar hollow glass article by a dissolvingoperationiandfwhich effectively meets all of thefabove mentioned perfomance requirements. i t f f v Another object of our invention is to providelapparatus for automatically andfcontinubusly processing, in a-'rapid and uniform manner, large numbersE ofglass lamp l'bulbs or similar hollow glass articles lto remove interior metallic coatings from thel bowl end portionsofthe lbulbs by a chemical dissolving operation while leaving the "remainder of the metallic coatings on' the'side wall portions of'the bulbs substantially unimpair'ed.' A 1"'- Still another object of 'our invention isto=p`rovide a conveyor 'type machine for automatically and continuously-performing, on large numbers of lamp bulbs, the successive operations of 'chemically dissolving` internal metallic reflector coatingsoffthebowliends of thefbulbs', neutralizingany coating 'solvent remaining in the bulbs following withdrawal 'of 4`the"'s`olvent charges'ltherefrom and then washing anddrying theitre'atedbulbs'toprepare themfor manufacture into finished lamps. 1

A further object of our invention is`to provide appa-j ratus for removing an internal metallic coatingfrom'the bowl'endportion of a lamp bulb or similar 'hollow glass article by introducing dissolving solution'into and withdrawing it from 'the bulb and which does not' require the use of any exhausting: equ'pment'forelfecting the' withdrawal of the dissolving solution lfro'r'rthe "bulbii l Further objectsiand advantagesy of our invention will appear from `the following detailed description o fl'aspecies thereof andfrom the accompanying drawings.

lnthedrawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofthe 'forward paratus according to the invention;v 4 y Fig. 2 is a sideel'evation'of th'eremaining or rear'prportion of aption of the apparatus; Fig.' 3 isa front end elevation of' the"appar atufs, showing the lowering mechanismfor the article-lcarryingtrays'; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary'`longitudinal section ofthe mechanismiat'the' `forward end of 'theeapparatiis'for advancingthe article-holding traysfthereof along'the lower run ofthe conveyor track;l Fig. 5 *isa fragmentary plan view Vo'f fthemechanism shown inFig. V4 for ladvancing the article-holding trays, together with the associatedrrieans 4for actuating the tray-lowering mechanism at the forward end vofthe ,apparatus; l Fig. 6 is a transverse section on, the line 6-6 of Fig. "5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 7-7 of Fig. l and showing oneY of ythe article-carrying trays in positionl on the conveyor track; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view, onfanv enlarged scale, of one of the article-carrying trays; t 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section at' the dissolving station and the station irrimediately'lpreceding the dissolving station ofl the apparatus and showing the supplementary tray-advancing mechanism at said stations; Fig. l0 is a fragmentary ,side elevation of Vthe mechanism at the dissolving station'V of ythe apparatus rfory chemically dissolving the metalliccoating off* theV bowl ends of the bulbs in the trays at said station; l

Fig.l1 isa `fragmentary elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the pinch clamps for the flexible solventcarrying tubes of the dissolving mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a transverse section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 1 and .showing the dissolving mechanism in end elevation; 1

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 13--13 of Fig. 1 showing the mechanism for raising and lowering the article-carrying trays at the dissolving station;

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic illustration of the dissolving mechanism as applied to a single one of the heads thereof;

Fig. 15 is a vertical section of one of the solvent charge-measuring asks of the dissolving mechanism;

Fig. 16 is a top view of one of 'the filling heads of the dissolving mechanism;

Fig. 17. is a vertical section, on the line 17--17 of Fig. 16, f one of the filling heads of the dissolving mechanism;

Fig. 18 is a vertical section of the filling head on the line 18-18 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary vertical section, partly in elevation, of a modified form of lling head according to the invention;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary vertical section of one of the filling heads and an associated bulb at an intermediate stage in the dissolving operation;

Fig. 21 is a transverse section on the line 21-21 of Fig. 2, showing the tray turnover mechanism at station K;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary elevation of the tray turnover mechanism shown in Fig. 21; and

Fig. 23 is a view which illustrates the wiring diagram or electrical operating circuit of the apparatus.

In the general operation of the apparatus according to the invention, the metallic coated bulbs or other hollow glass articles to be processed, which may still be in a heated condition as an aftermath of the bulb coating operation, are mounted in upright neck-up position in trays which are intermittently indexed or advanced along a lower level horizontal conveyor track to carry the trays or articles rst through a series of cooling stations at which cooling air may be directed up along the outer sides of the articles, and then to successive dissolving and neutralizing stations at the iirst of which the internal metallic coating is removed from or dissolved off the bowl ends of the articles by the introduction thereinto of accurately measured charges of a coating solvent followed by the withdrawal of the solvent charges from the articles after a predetermined time interval, and at the second of which stations any solvent still remaining in the articles is neutralized to render it chemically inert with respect to the metallic coating on the articles by the introduction thereinto and subsequent withdrawal therefrom of measured charges of a suitable neutralizing solution. From the neutralizing station the article-carrying trays are advanced to a turnover station where they are inverted and then intermittently advanced along an intermediate level horizontal conveyor track through a series of successive stations where the inverted neck-down articles are first washed and then dried by the injection thereinto of water washing streams and heated air jets, respectively, from nozzles located at the said stations underneath the articles. The trays are subsequently emptied of the processed articles and advanced to a second turnover station where they are inverted to their original starting position and then returned, by intermittent movement along an overhead horizontal return conveyor track, to the front end of the conveyor apparatus where they are then lowered into starting position for advance movement once again along the lower level conveyor track of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus according to the invention comprises a framework which may be constructed of suitable structural iron members such as angle irons, channel irons, and the like, and consists of horizontally extending conveyor track portions 1, 2 and 3 each constituted of a pair of parallel extending spaced guide rails 1-1', Z-2 and 3'-3, respectively, supported from the oor at spaced intervals along their length by upright support posts 4 and 5. The guide rails 1', 2 and 3' are provided on their facing inner sides with a series of horizontally aligned rollers 6 for supporting article-carrying trays 7 and on which the trays ride while guided by the rails 1', 2 and 3 to permit advance of the trays along the respective conveyor tracks. If desired, the rollers 6 may be omitted and the trays supported instead on horizontal flanges or tracks on the guide rails 1', 2 and 3' along which tracks the trays slide. Conveyor track portions 1 and 2 form a combined bottom or advance run for the trays 7 while conveyor track portion 3 forms an overhead or top return run for the trays. As shown more clearly in Fig. 7, the conveyor track rails 1, 2' and 3 are formed with inturned upper flanges 8 which overlie and are spaced from the support rollers 6 to provide, in conjunction therewith, channelways within which the trays are confined so as to guide and lock them in proper position during their travel along the respective conveyor tracks.

The trays 7 are of generally rectangular shape and comprise a fiat plate member or panel 9 (Fig. 7) of any suitable material, such as pressed wood for instance, supported around its edges in a supporting frame 10 preferably made of formed cross-section metal side and end members 11 and 12, respectively, of generally box section and comprising inner and outer side walls 13 and 14, respectively, joined across one of their respective 1ongitudinal edges by a connecting wall 15 and provided at their other longitudinal edges with inturned parallel anges 16 and 17 between which the tray panel 9 extends and is fastened. As shown in Fig. 7, the side members 11 of the tray frame 10 rest and ride on the support rollers 6 of the various conveyor tracks 1, 2 and 3 during their travel therealong. The tray panel 9 is formed with a plurality of generally circular apertures or openings 18, of a diameter slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of the bulbs or other articles 19 to be processed,-to provide seats on which the bowl ends 20 of the bulbs 19 rest to support them in an upright position. In the particular case illustrated, the trays 7 are provided with eighteen bulb-receiving apertures 18 arranged in three longitudinal rows of six apertures each. The tray apertures 18 are each formed with a plurality of cut-away sections or arcuate notches 21 in the aperture rims Z2 at spaced points therearound to provide passageways 23 (Fig. 7) between the aperture rim and the bulb 19, when seated in place in the tray opening, for the passage of cooling air through the tray openings and along the wall of the bulb to cool the latter. The bulbs 19 are each securely held in place on the tray 7, in upright seated position on the aperture rim 22, by three or more (four in the particular case shown) tension coil springs 24 which are fastened at their opposite ends, in tensioned condition, to spring posts 25 upstanding from the tray panel 9, the several springs 24 being disposed in a more or less centered polygonal arrangement (i. e., triangular, square, etc.) around the respective aperture 18 to define a circle of slightly smaller diameter than the maximum diameter of the bulb 19 so that the springs will be laterally spread apart or expanded when the bowl end 20 of the bulb is pushed down between the springs and will contract and resiliently bear against the converging side wall portion 26 of the bulb to hold it down on the bulb seat 22 in upright position.

The trays 7 are delivered in au empty or unloaded condition to the conveyor track 1 by a tray-supplying or drop mechanism 27 located at the front end of the apparatus and arranged to transfer or lower the empty trays from the level of the upper return conveyor track 3 to the level of the lower advance conveyor track 1 in position for feeding movement thereonto and therealong. The tray-drop mechanism 27 rcomprises a plurality of spaced pairs of vverticallyI extending endless chainsr28;.located opposite and vertically-,bridging the A'ends of Lthe conveyor tracks 1 and 3 at the forward end of the apparatus, the two chains 'of each pair being disposed-on opposite sides of the conveyor tracks 1, 3,so.as.to permit passagcfand reception of the trays 7 vbetween the two chains. The chains 28 extend between'and run around upper and lower idler sprockets 29 and 30 (Fig.c 3) 'mounted on horizontal shafts 31 and 32, respectively, which :are supported in bearings 33 and 34' fastened -'on atower1ikeske1eton framework 35 constructed' of structural ironA ymembers andforming, in effect, an elevator'shaft through Iwhich the trays 7 are lowered`by4 the chains 28..; Thechalins28 are provided, at spaced points along `their lengthpwith traysupporting brackets 36 on which.v thetrays rest, during thelowering thereof,- correspondingbrackets 367,011 `opposite sides of the trays being horizontally jaligned'with each other throughout the entire period during which;y the tray is supported thereon so as to hold the tray in allevelhorizontal position at all times. Movement'of the chains 28, I

to lower the trays 7 thereon from the level of the upper return conveyor track 3 to the level `ofthe lower advance conveyor track 1, is induced bythe weight of the trays themselves, the movement of the severalchains 28 being properly controlled or synchronized, however, in order to insure the chains moving at the same speed and in unison so as to hold the trays level at all times during the lowering thereof. For this purpose, the lower sprocket shafts 32 are arranged to drive, through connecting drive chains 37, a gear pump 38 having a pair of drive shafts 39 and 40 which are rotatively interlocked, as by means of intermeshing gears thereon (not shown), so` as to rotate in unison. The drive chains 37 extend between and run around sprockets 41 and 42 on shafts 32 and 39, 40, respectively. The gear pump is arranged tooperate a closed hydraulic (oil) system having a control valve (not shown) therein for the purpose of enabling the regulation of the pumping pressure yand therefore the speed of movement of the chains 28 by the weight of the trays 7 supported thereby. The gear pump'38 thus acts, in eiect, as a dashpot to limit the gravity-actuated lowering movement of the trays 7 and supporting chains 28 to a relatively slow rate. u

The lowering movement of the trays 7 on the chains 28 is periodically interrupted, to approximately horizontally align the lowermost tray with and allow feeding thereof onto the conveyor track l, by a pair of springloaded swinging stop latches or levers 43 which are pivotally mounted on the framework 35 of the tray-drop mechanism 27, at locations between the pair of'chains 28 closest the conveyor track 1, to swing in horizontal planes. The stop latches 43 are normally held by tension coil springs 44 in their operative or tray-holding position (Figs. 3 and 5) wherein they extend transversely of the conveyor chains 28 with their outwardly facing or distal ends 45 underlying the tray-supporting brackets 36 supporting the trays 7 on the chains 28 so` as to engage the support brackets of the lowermost tray to approximately horizontally align it with the lower conveyor track 1. The springs 44 are connected at their opposite ends to one end of the respective stop latches 43 and to the stationary framework 35 of the tray-drop mechanism 27. The stop latches 43 are periodically swung out from under the support brackets 36 carrying the lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism (as shown in dash-dot lines in Fig. 5) to permit the trays 7 in the tray-drop mechanism to intermittently move downward by theirown weight, by the engagement of the forward or free end portion 46 of a horizontally reciprocating traypush rod member 47 with the opposed inner ends 48 of the swing latches 43, the push rod member 47 extending along the center line of the conveyor track 1 and constituting the means for transferring the trays 7 from the tray-drop mechanism 27 to the conveyor track 1 and indexingthem therealong. The push rod member 47 may comprisevthe piston rod of a double-action air.` cylinder 49. (Fig. 1*) mountedori the supporting framework for the conveyor track :1 in a` position immediately beneath the trays 7 thereon and operated `by an electricallyactuated four-Waymomentary, contact air valve 50 acting toalternately connect lfirst one `and then the other end ofthe air cylinder 49 toI a source of compressed air for intermittently lreciprocating the piston rod 47 through one double-stroke cyclerata time, yther operation of thevalve 5 0 and the tray-indexing` push rod 47 beingl controlled by a solenoid Sp14 (Fig. 2,3) so as to be suitably timed and interlorcked with theother operations of the apparatus. Energization of thepsolenoid S1 actuates lthe valve 50 so as to retract the push rod 47 and index the trays 7 along the conveyor track 1, while de-energization of the solenoid S1 returns the push rod 47 to its extended position. f 1 1 a At its forward or free end, the push rod 47 is fastened to a wheeled carriage 51- which rides on stationary horizontal tracks 52 toprovide a support for thesaid push rod end. The carriage 51 is provided with upstanding striker plates 53 which engage the stop latches 43, on the tray pickup stroke of the push rod 47, to swing them out from under the chain brackets 26 `supporting the lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27, thereby freeing the tray-supporting chains 28 and the trays 7 ythereon for downward movement. The lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27 then moves down onto and is supported in horizontal alignment with the conveyor track 1 for sliding movement thereonto by a pair of stationary horizontal support tracks 54 which underlie the frame'end members 12 of the lowermost tray 7 and on which the said tray rests during its sliding transfer movement onto the tray-supporting rollers 6 of the conveyor track 1, the support tracks 54 extending for such purpose a short distance beyond the rst vpair of tray-supporting rollers 6 of the conveyor track 1, as shown in Fig. 4. Near the end of the tray pickup or return stroke of the push rod 47 to its extended position, the striker plates 53 pass beyond the facing inner ends 48 of the pivotally displaced stop latches 43 so as to permit the latter to swing back to their normal tray drop-arresting position under'the action of the coil springs 44. The push rod carriage 51 is provided with an upstanding vertically reciprocable spring-loaded tray pickup latch 55 which catches behind the leading frame edge of the lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27 to pull the said tray along the support tracks 54 and onto the rollers 6 of the conveyor track 1 during the tray-advance stroke of the push rod 47. The upper end 56 of the latch 55 is inclined so as to permit the latch to be depressed by and to thus pass under the trailing frame edge of the transferred tray during the subsequent return strokeof the push rod 47 to its extended position. In the normal operation of the apparatus, the lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27 is withdrawn therefrom and transferred by the push rod 47 onto the conveyor track 1, after which the push rod then returns to its extended position in readiness for the next tray-advance stroke. During its return stroke, the push rod 47 swings the stop latches 43 out from under the tray-supporting brackets 36 on the chains 28 so as to permit the said chains and the trays thereon to movek downwardly to lower the next tray onto the support tracks 54 into position for subsequent transfer onto the conveyor track 1. The tray stop latches 43 "meanwhile return to their tray drop-arresting position,

thus preventing further downward movement of the chains 28. In order to permit the passage of the striker plates 53 past the stop latches 43 on the tray-advancing stroke of the push rod 47, the inner ends 48 of the stop latches 43 are in the form of spring-loaded plunger members which telescope into the other part of the respective stop latch and are provided with inclined inner ends 57 which are engaged by the striker plates 53 during the tray-advancing stroke of the push rod 47 to thereby push ,the said inner plunger ends 48 of the stop latches 43 laterally outwardior apart so as to allow the striker plates S3 to pass therebetween.

During the course of the sliding movement of the successive trays 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27 onto the conveyor track 1 by the push rod 47, the said trays strike against the forwardmost tray 7 resting on the conveyor track 1 at the first work station A therealong and pushes or indexes the said forwardmost tray, and through it the entire line of trays 7 resting on the conveyor track 1, a distance ahead of approximately one tray length, whereby the trays on the conveyor track 1 are intermittently advanced to and positioned at a plurality of successive work stations A to I therealong. Upon advance of the lowermost tray 7 in the tray-drop mechanism 27 to its intial article-loading station A on the conveyor track 1, it is positively locked in such position, against backward movement by the push rod 47 on its subsequent tray-pickup stroke, by a vertically reciprocable spring loaded locking latch 58 (Fig. 4) which is mounted on the stationary framework of the conveyor track 1 at a fixed location beneath the trays 7 thereon and rides under and catches behind the leading frame and member 12 of the tray at the first station A. The upper end 59 of the said latch 58 is inclined so that the lat-ch will be depressed by the end members 12. of the tray frame when the trays are moved past the said latch 58.

At stations A and B the trays 7 are loaded with the internally reflector-coated glass bulbs or other articles 19 which are to be processed, the bulbs being placed in a neck-up position on the trays, as shown in Fig. 7. The bulbs 19 may be loaded into the trays 7 at the loading stations A and B directly from the apparatus which is employed to apply the internal reflector coating to the bulb and which may be of the general type described and claimed in co-pending U. S. application Serial No. 276,494, Reynolds et al., led March 14, 1952. In such case, the loading stations A and B of the apparatus of our invention may be conveniently located closely adjacent and preferably between the unloading positions of two such reilector coating machines so that an operator, in unloading the bulbs from such a machine, can at the same time load the coated bulbs directly into the trays 7 at stations A and B.

Because the bulbs 19, when loaded into the trays 7 directly from a reflector coating machine such as mentioned above, are in a highly heated condition, the trays of bulbs are progressively advanced from the last bulbloading station B through a series of successive cooling stations C to F where cooling air is directed upwardly 1.

against the downwardly facing bowl ends 20 of the bulbs and up along the outer side walls thereof in order to cool them to a temperature at which the subsequent acid dissolving of the internal reflector coatings thereon may be carried out without volatilization of the acid solvent employed for such purpose and resultant formation of dangerous acid fumes. It will be understood, however, that if the bulbs are in an unheated state, e. g., at normal room temperature, at the time they are loaded into the trays 7 at stations A and B, it is unnecessary to subject them to a cooling operation such as mentioned above. When such a cooling operation is employed, however, the cooling air may be supplied to the bulbs 19 in the trays at stations C to F by individual flared air discharge outlets 10 located at each of the cooling stations underneath the trays thereat and arranged to direct the cooling air upwardly against the undersides of the trays, the cooling air then striking against and cooling the bowl end portions 20 of the bulbs from which the reflector coating is to be subsequently removed as well as passing up through the air passageways 23 in the tray between the bulb wall and the rim 22 of the bulb-seating apertures in the tray and flowing upwardly along and cooling the side walls of the bulb also. The cooling air may be supplied to the flared discharge outlets 60 in any suitable manner, as by means of a f8 commonductor manifold 61'connected .to each of the discharge outlets and @to a conventional type air blower unit (not-shown).

-From thelast-coolingstation.Fthe trays 7 containing the bulbs19 to beprocessed are. indexed to an idle station G and thencertosuccessive processing stations H and I, at the Erst of :which stations the internal reflective coatings on the fbulbs are chemically dissolved and removed from the'bowl ,end portions l20 thereof Aby the introduction into andl removal from the bulbs of predetermined charges of a reflector-dissolving acid solvent, and at the second of which stations any slightamounts of the acid solvent remaining'in the bulbs are effectively neutralized, so as not tothereafter chemically impair the portions of the reflector coatings to be retained vonthe bulb, by the introduction into and withdrawal from the bulbs of predetermined vcharges of a neutralizing solution. The acid solvent an'd-neutralizing solution charges are introduced into and-removed 'from the bulbs 19 by respective groups of stationary filling heads 62 and 63 which are located above the bulbs 19 in the trays 7 at stations H and I, respectively, and correspond inlnumber to and positioning with the bulbs 19 in the trays 7 at said stations so as to be in vertical alignment therewith. The filling heads 62 and ,'63 constitute,respectively, parts of acid solvent-supplying and neutralizing solution-supplying mechanisms 64 and 65 '(Fig. 1) which are located at the stations H and l. During the dwell of each successive group of two trays 7 atthe said stations H and I, the two trays'7 are raised by common elevating yor tray'lift vmechanism 66 located at the saidstations to thereby movethebulbs in the trays up over vthe filling heads '62 and 63 so as to cause introductionof the filling heads into the bulbs. The bulbs are then maintained 'in such elevated position until the acid solvent and neutralizing solution charges have been introduced into and removed from the bulbs by the mechanisms 64 and 65, respectively, whereupon the trays are lowered to their original position in horizontal alignment with the conveyor track 1.

The tray lift mechanism 6.6 for the trays 7 at stations H and I comprises a vertically displaceable elevator or lift portion 67 of the conveyor track 1, which track portion 67 spans both stations H and I and is normally aligned horizontally with the stationary portions of the conveyor track 1. The elevator or lift track portion 67 may be formed of suitable structural iron members, such as angle irons for instance, on which the trays ride, as shown in Fig. 13. The elevator track portion 67 is raised and lowered 'through one cycle of movement, in proper time relation with and during the dwell of each tray 7 at each of the stations H and I, by suitable means which, in the particular case illustrated, comprises a combination air-operated and oil dashpot type two-way pneumatic cylinder 68 mounted on the framework of the apparatus beneath the elevator track 67 and having a horizontally extending piston rod 69 projecting from the opposite ends of the cylinder 68. The projecting opposite end portionsof the piston rod 69.are formed with rack gears 70 (Fig. 13) which mesh with respective pinion gears 71 carried by stub shafts `72 journalled in gear housings 73 mounted on the framework of the apparatus. The stub shafts 72 carry pinion drive gears 74 which mesh with rack gear portions 75 of vertically extending lift support posts '75 which are vertically reciprocable inthe gear `housings :73 and are fastened at their upper end to a frame 76 which supports the elevator tracks 67.

yHorizontal `reciprocation of the ,piston rod 69 acts through the gears 70, '71 and V74, 75' to raise or lower the lelevator 67. The pneumatic cylinder 68 is operated by a four-wayjsolenoid controlled valve 68 which is actuated by solenoidsS9A and S9B atthe proper time intervals during thel dwell of the trays 7 at stations H and I to connect --vrst one and then the other end of the cylinder to a 'source -of compressed air vwhereby the trays are first raised to their elevated position and held in such position while the acid solvent and neutralizing solution charges are introduced into and, after a predetermined time lapse, removed from the bulbs 19 in the trays, and then the trays lowered to their original elevational position for continued horizontal advance movement along the remaining stationary portion of the conveyor track 1 at station I.

During the index movement of the linev of trays 7 along the conveyor track 1, the tray which is indexed to station G immediately ahead of the elevator or lift 67 is prevented from moving part way onto the lift, through over-travel resulting from the inertia of the tray developed during its index movement, and thereby being tipped during the subsequent raising of the lift 67, by the engagement of a vertically reciprocable spring-loaded stop latch 77 with the trailing frame end member 12 of the tray at said station, as shown in Fig. 9. The stop latch 77 is fastened to the plunger 78 of a solenoid S13 mounted on the framework of the conveyor track 1, and the solenoid S13 is operated in timed relation to the index movement of the trays along the conveyor track 1 so as to retract or pull the latch 77 down out of the way of the trays just before each index thereof along the conveyor track 1 and to then release the latch 77 so as to permit it to spring back to its raised or tray-stopping position during each index movement of the trays so as to be in position to positively stop the tray immediately ahead of the lift at a position short of the lift.

Immediately following each index movement of a pair of trays 7 to the stations H and I, the two ktrays on the lift 67 are accurately positioned relative to the filling heads 62 and 63 and separated from the trays at either end of the lift so as tovavoid the possibility of any interference or abnormal condition occurring therebetween during the subsequent raising and lowering movements of the two trays on the lift. For such purpose, supplementary tray-advancing means are provided in the form of small auxiliary air cylinders 80 and 81 which are located, respectively, ahead of and beyond the lift 67, the cylinder 80 being arranged to move the two trays on the lift a slight distance ahead, for example an inch or so, and the other cylinder 81 being arranged to move the tray at the idle station I a slightly greater distance ahead, for example two inches or so, whereby a slight separation of the order of one inch or thereabouts is provided between the trays at stations G and H as well as at stations I and I. The air cylinders 80 and 81 are provided with piston rods 82 and 83, respectively, which carry vertically reciprocable spring-loaded latches 84 and 85 having inclined upper ends or cam surfaces 86 (Fig. 9) which are engaged by the end members 12 of the tray frames 10 during the index movements of the trays to thereby spring-depress the latches 84, 85 so as to permit the tray frames to ride over and past the said latches. When the piston rod 83 of air cylinder 81 is in its normal retracted position, the latch 85 carried thereby is in a position to ride under and catch behind the leading frame end member 12 of that tray 7 which has just been indexed olf the lift 67 to station I In the same manner, when the piston rod 82 of air cylinder 80 is in its normal retracted position, the latch 84 carried thereby is in a position to ride under and-catch behind the trailing frame end member 12 of that tray 7 which has just been indexed to station H onto the klift 67, as shown in Fig. 9. To enable the latch 84 to thus catch behind the trailing frame end member 12, which at such time is abutted against the frame 10 of the following tray, the tray frame end members 12 are formed with notches 87 (Figs. 7 and 9) in their outer side and bottom connecting walls 14 and 15, respectively, for receiving the latch 84 so that it will catch behind the inner side Wall 13 of the tray frame end member 12. As soon as the latches 84and 85 catch behind the frame end members 12 of the respective trays at stations H and J, the air cylinders and 81 are actuated, as a result of which the piston rods 82, 83 advance the trays engaged by the respective latches 84, 85 a slight distance ahead to effect the above-mentioned separation of the trays on the lift 67 from those at stations G and J. Inasmuch as the tray 7 at station H on the lift 67 also pushes the tray at station I a like distance ahead, the stroke of the piston rod 83, for pushing ahead the tray 'at station I, therefore must be slightly greater than that of piston rod 82, by an amount equal to the desired separation of the traysl at stations I and J, in order to effect such separation. The supply of compressed air to the cylinders 80 and 81 is controlled by suitable electrically operated m0- mentary contact air Valves (not shown) having actuating solenoids S3 and S2, respectively, whichwhen energized actuate their respective valves so as to move the piston rods 82 and 83 to their extended position to advance the trays 7, and when deenergized actuate the valves so as to return the piston rods to their retracted position.

To accurately position the trays 7 on the lift 67 re1- ative to the filling heads 62 and 63, an air-cylinder operated tray stop latch 202 is provided on the lift 67, the said stop latch 202 being attached to the endl of the piston rod 203 of an air cylinder204 which is mounted on the tray lift 67 and moves up and down therewith. The supply of air to the cylinder 204 is controlled by an electrically operated four-way valve 205 which is mounted on the apparatus framework and is connected to the cylinder 204 by a flexible airhose 206, the valve 205 having an actuating solenoid S12 which, when energized, actuates the valve so as to retract the tray stop latch 202 to permit advance movement of the trays 7 along the lift 67, and when de-energized actuates the valve 205 so as to move the stop latch 202 to its extended position wherein it catches the trailing frame edge 12 of the tray being advanced to the neutralizing station I on the lift, thereby positively fixing the trays at stations H and I in position longitudinally of the apparatus relative to the filling heads 62 and 63.

Inasmuch as the acid solvent supplying and neutralizing solution supplying mechanisms 64 and 65 are of substantially the same construction, a detailed description of one of these mechanisms will therefore suffice for both, the parts of mechanism 65 which correspond to those of mechanism 64 being designated (except where otherwise designated) by the same reference number preceded by the letter A. Referring to Figs. 10-12 and Figs. 14-20 in particulan'the filling heads 62 of the acid solvent supplying mechanism 64 are xedly supported by and depend from support brackets 88 (Fig. l2) fastened to longitudinally extending bar members 89 of an overhead support framework 9) which is mounted on those support posts 4 of the apparatus framework which are located at stations H and I. As shown in more detail in Figs. 16-20, each of the filling heads 62 comprises a vertically disposed outer or main support tube 91 which is fastened at its upper end to the respective support bracket SS for the filling head and is closed off in an airtight manner at its upper and lower ends by closure plugs 92 and 93, respectively. The tube 91 is provided adjacent its upper end with a connecting nipple 94 for connecting the interior of the tube to a supply of compressed air, the nipples 94 of the various filling heads 62 being connected by lengths of chemically resistant tubing 95 (Fig. l2 to a common compressed air supply manifold 96 which is supported on the framework 90 and is connected in turn by a pipe 97 to a suitable source of compressed air. The supply of compressed air to the manifold 96 and filling head tubes 91 is controlled by a suitable electrically operated valve 97 (Fig. 14) in the compressed air supply line 97, the said valve 97' being actuated by a solenoid S23 (or solenoid S24 in the case of the valve A97 for the filling heads 63) in suitably timed relation with the other operations performed by the acid solvent supplying mechanism 64, as hereinafter described.

At its lower end the tube 91 is provided with an aperture 9S (Fig. 17) for egress of compressed air from the tube, as well as a surrounding sleeve 99 of yieldable material such as rubber which covers the aperture 98 in the tube and is either stretched tight over, or tightly clamped around the tube, at regions to either side (i. e., above and below) of the aperture 98, so

as to have an airtight grip on the tube at the said regions for entrapping the compressed air passing out of the tube 91 through the said aperture. As shown in Fig. 20, the airtight grip of the sleeve 99 on the tube 91 may be obtained by clamping the sleeve around the tube by means of binding wires 100. operation of the apparatus, the rubber sleeve 99 is l0- cated within the substantially straight neck portion 101 of the respective bulb 19 when the latter is raised to its elevated position by the lift 67 to effect the introduction of the associated filling head 62 or 63 into the bulb. When compressed air is subsequently supplied at the proper pressure to the interior of the tube 91 through the manifold 95, connecting tube 95 and nipple connection 94, it passes out through the aperture 98 .in the tube and expands or inates the portion of the ,'f

sleeve 99 opposite the aperture against the inside wall of the surrounding bulb neck 101, as indicated at 102 in Fig. 20, so as to form an airtight seal with the bulb neck whereby the interior of the bulb is closed off from the atmosphere. rubber sleeve 99 in a direction out the open end of the bulb such as might result in the bursting and destruction of the sleeve, a floating protective collar or sleeve 193 is provided on the tube 91 for blocking off the space between the bulb neck 101 and the upper end portion of the rubber sleeve 99, the collar 103 being freely slidable on the tube and having its inner wall recessed or undercut a suiiicient distance inwardly from its lower end, as indicated at 104, to provide a space for accommodating substantially the entire length of the rubber sleeve 99 therein. The collar 1113 is of smaller outside diameter than the neck opening 165 of the bulb 19 so as to to be insertable thereinto, and its lower end is externally bevelled or tapered, as indicated at 106, for engagement with the outwardly flaring portion 107 of the bulb neck, during the upward movement of the bulb over the filling head 62. In its normal inoperative position as shown in Figs. 17 and 18, the collar 1113 is supported in place on the tube 91, in a lowered position wherein it extends down over and encloses substantially the entire length of the rubber sleeve 99, by a Spring snap ring 168 which is locked in an external annular groove 109 in the tube 91 and engages with the internal shoulder 110 on the collar 103 to support the latter. When a bulb 19 is raised up over the lling head 62, the flaring neck portion 107 of the bulb engages the tapered lower end 106 of the collar 103 and lifts the latter along therewith. By virtue of its engagement with the ilaring bulb neck portion 197, the lower end of the collar 103 thus not only acts to block off the space between the bulb neck and the rubber sleeve 99 toward the open end of the bulb neck so as to prevent excessive dilation and possible blow-out of the rubber sleeve during the subsequent sleeve-expanding operation, but it also acts to center or vertically align the bulb 19 relative to the filling head 62 in order to assure the production of a straight (i. e., non-tilted) cut-off line during the subsequent reflector coating removal operation.

Extending vertically through the iilling head outer tube In the normal To prevent excessive inflation of the 91 and its end closure members 92, 93 in an airtight manner is a small inner tube 111 having one or more outlet openings 112 (Fig. 18) in its projecting lower end 113. The projecting upper ends of the tubes 111 of the various filling heads 62 are connected by lengths of chemically resistant tubing 114 (Fig. 12) to a common compressed air supply manifold 115 which is distinct from the compressed air manifold 96 for the outer tube 91 and is supported on the framework 99. The manifold 115 is connected by a pipe 116 to the compressed air supply line 97 for the rubber sleeves 99 of the iilling heads, the supply of air to the manifold 115 being controlled by an electrically operated valve 117 in the said air line 97, which valve 117 is actuated by the same solenoid S23 (or S24 in the case of the valve A117 for the filling heads 63) which actuates the valve 97.

The outer tube 91 is also provided with two additional inner tubes, i. e., an inlet tube 113 for the acid solvent and an outlet tube 119 therefor, which tubes extend vertically through the outer tube and its end closure members 92 and 93 in an airtight manner. Attached to the lower ends of the tubes 118, 119 is a combination drip and bubble trap device 120 from which the acid solvent is released into the bulb 19 and withdrawn therefrom. The particular trap device 121i shown in Figs. 17 and 18 comprises a drip trap unit 121 and a bubble trap unit 122 arranged one above the other and respectively adapted to prevent the dripping into the bulb 19 of any drops of acid solvent collecting within the inlet or outlet tubes 118, 119 either before or after the actual introduction of the acid solvent charge into the bulb and to prevent the passage into the bulb of any bubbles in the acid solvent charge which might thereafter burst within the bulb or oat against the reflector coated inner side wall of the bulb with resultant production of either pi'nholes in the portion of the reflector coating to be retained or in irregularities in the cut-ofi line thereof.

The drip trap unit 120 comprises a vertically extending tubular outer shell 123 closed at its upper end by an upper plug or stopper member 124 which is snugly fitted within the shell and attached to the lower ends of the inlet and outlet tubes 118, 119, the plug 124 being provided for such p'urpose with vertically extending tubereceiving bores 125 and 126 into which the respective tubes 118, 119 snugly lit and are securely fastened. The other side of the plug 124 is provided with a hollow 12T-which communicates with both the bores 125 and 126 to thereby provide a common interconnecting chamber therefor. Snugly iitted within the lower end of the shell 123 is a lower stopper plug or trap member 128 having an upright U-shaped channelway 129 in its cylindrical side surface which, in conjunction with the closely surrounding shell 123, forms a conventional sink-type U- trap passageway. The U-passageway 129 communicates at one of its upper ends with the chamber 127 and at its other upper end with a cross passageway 130 which, in turn, connects with a centrally located vertical bore 131 in the plug member 12S, the said bore 131 extending upwardly from the lower end of the plug member and being closed at its upper end.

The bubble trap unit 122 comprises a vertically extending tube 132 which is fastened at its upper end in an airtight manner to the lower end of the plug member 128, as by a screw-threaded connection therebetween, and is closed otf at its lower end by a finely perforated bubblecatching lter member 133 such as a stainless steel wire screen, for instance. A nozzle tube 134, fitted within and communicating with the bore 131 in the plug member 128, projects from the lower end of the latter down through the tube 132 to a point a short distance above the screen 133, e. g., a distance of the order of l/s inch or so. The tube 132, which is of relatively large size as cornpared to the nozzle tube 134, thus provides a bubble dispersion chamber 13S for collecting therein any bubbles that may be ltered by the screen 133 from the acid sol- 13 vent charge as it flows out the lower end of the nozzle tube 134.

The use of the drip trap 121 is necessary to the satisfactory carrying out of the reflector dissolving operation in those instances where the acid solvent employed for the dissolving operation is of a type which does not possess sufiicient surface tension to enable the screen 133 to effectively retain any drops of solvent which would otherwise fall thereonto from the inlet or outlet tubes 118, 119, since such drops of acid solvent would then pass through the screen 133 and drop against the bottom or bowl end of the bulb where they would splatter against the portion of the refiector coating to be retained on the side wall of the bulb and produce pinholes therein. However, where the acid solvent employed is of a type possessing sufficient surface tension to enable the wire screen 133 to retain any drops of acid solvent falling thereonto, the drip trap 121 may be omitted from the trap device 120 and only the bubble trap unit 122 used, as illustrated in the modification shown in Fig. 19. In this modification the bubble trap tube 132 is fitted at its upp'er end with a plug 136 which may be screwed into the tube 132 in the same manner as the drip trap plug 123 in Figs. 17 and 18, and is provided with a pair of tube-receiving apertures 137, 138 in which are fitted a pair of stainless steel tubes 139 and 140, respectively. Like the nozzle tube 134 in Figs. 17 and 18, the tubes 139, 141) extend down to a point a short distance of the order of 1A; inch or so above the screen 133 and are connected, at their projecting upper ends, by short lengths of iiexible chemically resistant tubing 141, 142 to the lower ends of the inlet and outlet tubes 118 and 119, respectively. The flexible connection tubing 141, 142 imparts a limited amount of lateral iiexibility to the lowermost portion (i. e., the bubble trap portion 122) of the filling head, which is of added advantage because it tends to prevent breakage of the bubble trap' outer tubes 132 (which are preferably made of a synthetic plastic material) in those cases where the bulbs are overly misaligned with the filling heads so as to strike against the bubble trap tubes 132 when the bulbs are elevated by the lift 67 up around the filling heads. lf desired, however, the tubes 139, 149 and the liexible connection tubing 141, 142 may be omitted and the tubes 118, 119 instead extended down through the plug 136 and into the bubble trap tube 132.

The projecting upper ends of the inlet or fill tubes 11S of the various filling heads 62 are connected, by fiexible chemically resistant lengths of tubing 143, to the outlets 144 of separate charge-measuring devices or flasks 145 for each head while the outlet or return tubes 119 of all but a certain few (three or so) of the heads 62 are connected, by lengths of similar flexible tubing 146, to separate return inlets 147 of a reservoir or tank 148 containing a supply 149 of the acid solvent employed for the refiector-dissolving operation. The outer outlet tubes 119 not so connected to the tank 147 are connected instead by their respective tubing lengths 146 to a suitable drain, as indicated at 150 in Fig. 12. The tank 148 is mounted on a shelf-like supporting framework portion 151 of the apparatus framework alongside and above the level of the filling heads 62 at station H and is provided with suitable electrical heating elernents 152 (Figs. l2 and 14) for maintaining the acid solvent supply 149 therein in a heated condition, for example, at a ten1pera ture of the order of 11G-130 F. The solvent employed for the reflector-dissolving operation may be any material suitable for the purpose and will, of course, depend upon the particular character or composition of the reflector coating which is to be removed. However, where the reflector coating on the bulb 19 is composed of silver, a solvent comprising a mixture of sulphuric acid, chromic acid, and water, preferably in the proportions of the order of 4% sulphuric acid, 1% chromic acid and the remainder water, has been found entirely satisfactory. If desired,

a suitable wetting agent may be incorporated in such a solvent material in order to obtain a sharper or' cleaner cut-off line for the reflector coating to be retained on the bulb.

The tank 148 is provided with a plurality of outlets 153 corresponding in number to the filling heads 62 and located below the level of the return inlets 147. The tank outlets 153 are connected, by lengths of iiexible chemically resistant tubing 154, to corresponding inlets 155 of the charge-measuring devices 145. During the operation of the apparatus, the supply 149 of acid solvent in the tank 148 is maintained at a fixed level therein yand is re-circulated through the charge-measuring devices into the bulbs 19 on successive trays 7 and thence back into the tank 148.

The acid-solvent supply 149 in the tank 148 is kept from becoming overly contaminated with silver dissolved ofi the bulbs 19 by replacing a small part of that portion of the solvent which is withdrawn from ythe tank to fill the charge-measuring devices 145 and the bulbs 19 with fresh acid solvent during each refiector-dissolving operation. For this purpose the acid solvent charges from a certain few of the bulbs 19 (for example, three or so) are discarded at the conclusion of each reflector-dissolving operation by the connection of the return tubes 146 of the corresponding filling heads 62 to a waste drain 150, as before mentioned.' The amount of acid solvent thus discarded, and any further small amounts thereof lost in the systems because of other factors such as leakage, drainage, etc. is replenished, and the'level of the acid solvent supply 149 in the tank 148 fixed at a predetermined theoretical initial level Llfat the outset of each dissolving operation, by the introduction of fresh acid solvent into the tank 148 through a flexible chemically resistant inlet tube (Fig. 12) located at the upper region of the tank. The ow of fresh acid solvent through the inlet tubing 155`into the tank 148 is controlled by a pinch clamp 156 which is arranged to pinch the tube closed and is operated by an air cylinder 157. The supply of air to the. air cylinder 157 is controlled in turn by a solenoid-actuated air valve 158 connected in the air supply line 159 for the cylinder 157 and yactuated by a solenoid S19 (or S20 in the case of the vair valve A158 for the neutralizing solution tank A148). The pinch clamp 156, air cylinder 157 and solenoid valve 158 are all mounted on a support post 160 fastened to the supporting framework 151 for the tank 148.

The level of the acid solvent supply 149 in the tank 148 is fixed at its predetermined theoretical initial level L1 therein prior to each dissolving operation by liquid-level control means comprising a pair of vertically spaced metallic probe electrodes 161 and 162 which extend downwardly into the tank 148 and are normally immersed in the acid solvent supply 149 therein at the outset of each dissolving operation so as to be bridged and electrically interconnected by the acid solvent supply in the tank, both the acid solvent and neutralizing solution being of electrically conductive character. The lower contact-making end 163 of the upper electrode 161 is at such an elevation in the tank 148 as to be located a predetermined distance (around li inch in the particular case illustrated) above the level L2 (Fig. 14) to which the solvent supply 149 would drop, in the absence of any replenishment thereof, when the charge-measuring devices 145 have all been filled with their measured charges of acid solvent by gravity flow from the tank 148, the said location of the electrode 161 above the said lower level L2 of the solvent supply 149, without replenishment, corresponding to the amount of acid solvent which is subsequently discarded and lost during each dissolving operation and which is therefore unreturned to the tank 143. The electrodes 161, 162 are electrically connected to a conventional type electronic relay CR26 (such as that made by applicants assignee and designated as their catalog No. CR7511-A111G2) which is connected, in

turn, to the solenoid valve 158 so as to actuate it, to thereby open the pinch clamp 156 and allow fresh acid solvent to flow into the tank 148, when the level of the acid solvent supply 149 in the tank drops below and out of contact with the lower end 163 of the electrode 161 so as to break the initial electrical connection of the two electrodes 161, 162, the rate of introduction of fresh acid solvent into the tank 148 through the inlet 155 preferably being slower than the rate of out-flow of the acid solvent from the tank into the charge-measuring devices 145, such out-flow taking place at the same time as the in-flow through tube 155. The flow of fresh acid solvent into the tank 148 through the inlet tube 155 continues until the level of the acid solvent supply 149 in the tank 14S is raised to the level of and contacts the lower end 163 of the electrode 161 once again, at which time the electrical inter-connection of the electrodes 161, 162 is then restored and the circuit to the relay CR26 completed, whereupon the relay deenergizes the solenoid S19 of the valve 158 to cause the pinch clamp 156 to be :Ll

closed by a spring 156 so as to shut off the iiow of fresh acid solvent through tube 155 into the tank 148.

The flow of the acid solvent from the tank 14S into the charge-measuring devices 145 by gravity ow, and

then to the filling heads 62 and associated bulbs 19 and linally back into the tank 148, is controlled by three similar sets of pinch clamps 166, 167 and 16S corresponding in number to and between which the iiexible tubes 143, 146 and 154 respectively extend and by which they are either pinched closed or opened to shut off or permit the iiow of the acid solvent therethrough. Since the three sets of pinch clamps 166, 167 and 168 are of similar construction, a description of one set thereof, i. e., pinch clamps 166, will therefore suffice for the other sets, corresponding parts (where shown) of the other pinch clamp sets being designated by the same reference numbers in primed form for the pinch clamps 167 and in double primed form for the pinch clamps 168.

Referring to Figs. 10-12, the individual pinch clamps 166, 1.67 and 168 of the respective sets thereof each comprise a stationary jaw member 169 and a pivoted iaw member 176 which extend side-by-side in a more or less vertical direction and between which the respective lengths of iiexible tubing 143, 146 and 154 extend and are pinched. The stationary jaws 169 are fastened on the support framework 90 for the filling heads 62, and each jaw 169 is provided with a lateral extension 171 projecting therefrom in the direction of the length of the apparatus. The upper surface 172 of the extension 171 is inclined downwardly toward the jaw member 169 so as to `form therewith a more or less V-shaped cradle within and on which the lengths of tubing 143, 146 or 154 are located and supported in a position extending transversely of the apparatus, As shown in Fig. l1, the pivoted jaw members 171i are pivoted at their lower ends on the respective stationary jaw members 169, and they are normally held in their closed pivotable position, wherein they pinch and close-off the respective lengths of tubing 143, 146 or 154 against the stationary jaw members 169, by tension coil springs 173 which are connected at one end to the upper ends of the pivoted jaw members 170 and at their other ends to a horizontally extending stationary bar member 171i of the support framework 90. The pinch clamps 166, 167 and 168 of each set correspond in number to the filling heads 62 (eighteen in the particular case shown) and they are all arranged in a line lengthwise of the apparatus at station H, with successive groups of three pinch clamps in each set located more or less laterally abreast each successive lateral row of three filling heads 62. The pivoted jaw members 176 of the pinch clamps are pivoted to their open position, to open the tubing sections 143, 146 or 154 and permit liuid iow therethrough, by a common operating rod or slide bar 175 which extends horizontally alongside the pinch clamps and is slidably mounted for horizontal reciprocating movement in spaced support brackets 176 fastened to the supporting framework 90. The slide bar 175 is reciprocated by an air cylinder 177 having a piston rod 17S to which the slide bar 175 is connected. The cylinder 177 is mounted on a bracket 179 fastened to the filling head support framework 9u. The slide bar 175 is provided with laterally projecting pins 13) corresponding in number to and engageable with the pivoted jaw members 17@ to thereby swing the latter to their inclined or open position (Fig. ll) during the advance stroke of the slide bar 175 by the piston rod 178 of the air cylinder 177. On the return stroke of the slide bar 175, the springs 173 pull the pivoted jaw members 170 back against the tubing 143, 146 or 154 to thereby pinch it shut. The tubing 143, 146 and 154 is kept from creeping upwardly out of clamping position between the jaws 169, 179 of the respective pinch clamps by hold-down springs 181 which are hooked over the upper side of the tubing and engage underneath the lateral projections 171 on the stationary jaw members 169. The supply of compressed air to the operating cylinders 177, 177 and 177" for the pinch clamps 166, 167 and 16S is controlled by a suitable solenoid type double-acting four-way valve 182 (Fig. l) connected in the air supply line 183 for the said cylinders, and actuated by solenoids 811A and 811B. The said valve 182 is actuated by the said solenoids in timed relation with the other operations performed by the acid solvent supplying mechanism 64, as hereinafter described, to supply (in one position of the valve) air to the cylinder 177 to open pinch clamps 166 while venting the cylinders 177 and 177" to cause their respective pinch clamps 167 and 168 to close, and in the other position of the valve to reverse the above operation and supply air to cylinders 177 and 177" to open pinch clamps 167 and 16S while venting cylinder 177 to cause pinch clamps 166 to close.

The charge-measuring devices or asks 145, which correspond in number to the iilling heads 62, accurately measure the individual charges of acid solvent for the respective bulbs 19 so that uniform amounts of solvent are introduced into each of the bulbs. The chargemeasuring devices are of identical construction and are supported in a line lengthwise of the apparatus at station H and at identical elevations substantially correspending to that of the tank 148 and above that of the filling head 62. As shown more particularly in Fig. l5, each charge-measuring device 14S comprises a vertically arranged tube or flask 184, preferably made of glass, provided with an outlet connection 144 at its lower end and a side inlet connection located more or less midway between the upper and lower ends of the tube at a level slightly below the corresponding tank outlet 153 to which it is connected by tubing 154. The upper end of the tube or iask 145 is closed off by a rubber plug or stopper 185 having a central bore 186 in which a metal tube or bushing 187 is snugly received so as to have an airtight tit therein. The bushing 187 projects outwardly above the top of the stopper 185 and is provided with an enlarged head or collar portion 13S which rests on the top of the stopper 185. The inner and outer walls of the collar portion 163 converge upwardly to a sharp edge to form a circular knife-edged seat 139 at the top of the collar.

Disposed within the tube or ask 145 is a float 190, preferably made of glass and consisting of a lower bulb portion 191 having a vertical stem portion 192 extending loosely through the passageway 186 in the bushing 137 and projecting upwardly therebeyond. The stem 192 of the ioat is provided, internally of the liask 184, with an enlargement or stop collar 193 which is adapted to abut against the lower end of the bushing 187, as the iioat rises during the filling of the iask 184 with acid solvent from the tank 148, to thereby limit the upward movement of the float and thus avoid any tendency of the float to become wedged or to bind in a tilted position, when elevated, such as would prevent it from moving lfreely downward in the flask 184 when the fluid is subsequently withdrawn therefrom. The limiting of the upward movement of the float 190 by the stop collar 193 thereon also serves to prevent excessive protrusion of the fragile glass stem 192 outwardly of the flask such as would render it subject to accidental breakage. To avoid the possibility of the stop collar 193 closing or sealing olf the passageway 186 in the bushing 187 (during the filling of the flask 184 with acid solvent from the tank 148) such as would result in the building up of a back air pressure in the upper region of the flask above the level of the acid solvent therein, which pressure would therefore interfere with the flask-filling operation and would prevent the filling of the flask with the proper amount of acid solvent, the lower rirn end of the bushing 187 may be formed with suitable serrations or notches 194 to provide passageways which communicate with the bore 186 of the bushing, when the float stop collar 193 is abutted against the lower end of the bushing, so as to permit the flask 184 to breathe at such time through the bushing passageway 186.

Snugly fitted on the projecting upper end portion of the float stem 192, so as to have an airtight fit therearound, is a rubber collar 195 which is adapted to move down onto and seat against the circular knife-edged seat 189 of the bushing 187, during the flow of acid solvent out of the flask 184 into the respective filling head 62, to hermetically close-oil the passageway 186 through the bushing and thus stop the outward flow of acid solvent from the flask into the filling head by reason of the partial vacuum created in the upper portion of the flask by the continued slight lowering of the acid solvent therein immediately following the seal-off of the flask by the collar 195. The collar 195 thus acts as an atmospheric pressure valve to accurately control the amount of acid solvent flowing out of the flasks 184 into the respective filling head 62. Since all the flasks 184 are of substantially identical construction and size and are located at the same elevation, the amount of acid solvent introduced into each flask from the tank 148 during the filling process will be substantially the same. However, in order to compensate for minor size variations in the internal construction of the charge-measuring devices 145, such as the inside diameter of the flask 184 and the size of the float 190, which might result in slight differences in the amounts of acid solvent introduced into the various flasks, the rubber collar 195 is arranged to be vertically adjustable on the float stem 192 so as to afford precise control over the amount of acid solvent which is allowed to flow out of the flask 184 and introduced into the bulb 19.

The flasks 184 rest at their lower ends on individual hook or C-shaped support members 196 (Figs. l0 and 12) which are mounted on respective fixed support posts 197 and are vertically adjustable thereon by means of adjustment screws 198 to thereby permit accurate positioning of the individual flasks at the correct elevational position. The posts 197 are fastened to a bar 199 extending lengthwise of the apparatus an-d supported by brackets 200 fastened to the supporting framework 90 for the filling heads 62. The flasks 184 are further held in place, in upright position on the support rests 196, by clamp-type holders 201 which engage around the flasks near their upper ends and are fastened to the support framework 90.

The operating cycle of the mechanism at the reflectordissolving station H begins at the moment a tray 7 of unprocessed bulbs 19 has been indexed to and positioned in place on the tray lift 67 by the operation of the main and supplementary tray-advancing air cylinders 49 and 80, respectively, at which time a limit switch LS9 (Fig.

23,) is Aclosed by the lower level tray advance push rod 47, a limit switch LS1 is closed by the trays in the tray lift 67 and a limit switch LS8 is closed by the tray at station J to thereby complete the electrical circuit of and energize a relay CR which in turn completes the electrical*y circuit through and energizes the operating solenoid 89A of the air valve 68 for the tray lift operating cylinder 68, through a normally open but presently closed set of contacts a of a relayl CR14 (which relay is energized at this time), to thereby initiate upward movement of the tray lift 67. As soon as it starts upward, the tray lift 6 7 disengages and opens a liinit switch LS2 mounted on the apparatus framework to thereby interrupt the electrical circuit for a previously energized relay C-R8, the de-energization of which relay then recloses a normally closed set d of its contacts, in series with a previously closed set of contacts a of energized relay CR29 (which is energized through the normally closed contacts a of switchy CWS), to -thereby set in operation a conventional type of electronic timer T5 such as that manufactured by applicantsl assignee and designated as their Catalog No. CR7504-A142G3. During lthe upward movement of the tray lift 67, pinch clamps 166 are in a closed position and pinch clamps 167 and 168 are in an open position so as to permit continued flow of acid solvent by gravity from the tank 14,8 through tubes 154 into the flasks 145 to -fill the latter, such flow having been initiated previously to the start of upward movemnet of the tray lift, specifically at the start of air blow-out of the acid solvent from the bulbs 19 during the preceding reflector-dissolving cycle. lBy the time the tray lift 67 reaches the upper limit of its tray-lifting stroke, sufficient time has elapsed for the acid solvent in all the various flasks and in the tank 148 to become equalized at a common level L3 (Figi. 14) at which the acid solvent in the tank just .touches contacts the lower end 163 of the probe .electrode ,161, the flasks 145 then being filled with their individual charges of acid solvent for each bulb 19,

On reaching the upper limit of its tray-lifting stroke, the tray lift 67 contacts and closes a limit switch L82!) (Fig. 13) mounted on the apparatus trame .which then completes an electrial circuit, through a normally closed set of contacts b of a relay CR12 and a set of closed contacts b of the energized relay CR29, to the operating solenoid S11A of the four-way air control valve 182 for the air cylinders 177, 177 and 177 so as to effect closure of the pinch clamps 167 and 168 and, at the same time, open ,the pinch clamps 166 which then allows the acid solvent in the flasks to flow out through the tubes 143 to the filling heads 62 and into the bulbs 19. At the instant the pinch clamp valves 16,6 are opened, a continuous column of acid solvent remaining from the preceding dissolv.- ing cycle is present in each tube 143 and extends from the flask 145 through the .connecting tube 143 and down to the lower end of the inlet tube 118 of the respective filling head 62 the said liquid column having been retained within the tube 143 by the vacuum created in the upper portion of the flask 145, above `the level of the acid solvent remaining therein, by the closure of the atmospheric pressure valve during the previous .dissolvf ing cycle. However, since at the time the valves 166 are opened the column-retaining vacuum in the flasks 145 is no longer present therein due to the opening of the atmospheric pressure valves 195 at the top of the flasks, atmospheric pressure therefore exists on both ends of the continuous liquid column in each tube 143.. As a result, a siphoning action is initiated on the liquid column due to the lower elevation of the filling heads 62 relative lto the. flasks 14,5, the siphoning action thus causing the acid solvent to flow through the tubes 143 from the flasks 145 to the respective filling heads 62 and into ,the Yassociated bu1bs-19. The How 0f acid Solvent to each filling head 62 then continues until the atmospheric pressure valves 19 195 of the respective flasks 145 are closed once again by the reseating of the valve collars 195 against the valve seats 189, which is brought about by the lowering of the floats 190 in the flasks. The closing of the atmospheric pressure valves 195 stops the ow of acid solvent out of the flasks 145 through the action of the vacuum which is created in the upper part of the flasks by the continued slight additional outilow of acid solvent therefrom which takes place immediately following the closure of the valves 195. The partial vacuum thus created in the flasks 145 then holds the continuous column of acid solvent in the connecting tubes 143, extending from the flasks 145 into the filling heads 62. Uniformly alike amounts or charges of acid solvent are thus measured by the valves 195 and are introduced into the bulbs 19 by the filling heads 62, the amount of the acid solvent charges being so l regulated by the elevational setting of the valves 195 on the oat stems 192 as to submerge the portion of the internal reflecting coating on the bulb to be removed, i. e., fill the bulbs 19 up to the desired reflector cut-off level thereof which, for example, may be at the maximum diameter of the bulb as shown at 210 in Fig. 14.

Following a predetermined time interval (as determined by the electronic timer T5) sufficient to permit the acid solvent in the bulbs 19 to thoroughly dissolve the internal reflector coating olf the submerged portions of the bulb walls, for example, 22 seconds or so from the start of tray lifting hy the lift 67, the acid solvent in the bulbs 19 is removed therefrom by introducing low pressure air into the bulbs, while the latter are closed olf to the atmosphere at their neck ends, to thereby force the solvent out of the bulbs back up through the filling heads 62 and return tubes 146 and back into the reservoir or tank 148. For this purpose, the electronic timer T5, at the end of such timed reflector-dissolving interval, closes its normally open set of contacts a to simultaneously complete electrical circuits through and energize solenoids 811B, and S23 and S24 (through the normally closed switches SW21 and SW12 and the normally closed contacts of a relay CR25) as well as a relay CR12, the solenoid S11B reversing the position of the air valve 182 so as to return the pinch clamps 166 to their closed position and pinch clamps 167 and 168 to their open position, and the solenoids S23 and S24 opening the valves 97', 117 and A97', A117, respectively, so as to supply air to the blow-out tubes 111 and A111 and the rubber spectively. The energized relay CR12, through the closing of its normally open contacts d, closes a circuit to and sets in operation a second electronic timer T6 similar to the timer T5, such as that manufactured by applicants assignee and designated as their Catalog No. CR7504- A142G2. The opening of the air valve 97 causes inflation of the rubber sleeves 99 on the respective filling heads 62 (with resultant seal-off of the blubs from the atmosphere) while the opening of air valve 117 causes introduction of compressed air into the bulbs through air tubes 111 so as to force the acid solvent out of the bulbs back up into the filling heads 62 and through the opened return tubes 146 back into the tank 148 from which it then flows out through the opened flask-filling tubes 154 into the respective flasks 145 to refill the latter.

At the expiration of a relatively short predetermined air blow-out interval (for example, around 5 seconds or so) suicient to permit substantially all of the acid solvent in the bulbs 19 to be forced out therefrom, the normally open contacts a of timer T6 close to compelte a circuit, through the closed contacts b of previously energized relay CR21, to the coil of the relay CRZS, causing itsnormally closed set of contacts to open and thus interrupt the circuits through and de-energize the solenoids S23 and S24 of the air valves 97", 117 and A97', A117, which then close and thus terminate the air blowout operation. The closed contacts a of timer T6 also act, through the closed contacts b of the previously energized relay CR21 and through sets of contacts b of relays CR11 and CR24 (when closed by subsequent energization of the said relays through closure of limit switches LS'T and LS19 upon completion of the tray turn-over operations at stations K and U), to complete the circuit to the solenoid 59B of the tray lift air control valve 68 which then supplies air to the opposite end of the tray lift operating air cylinder 68 to cause it to lower the tray lift 67 to its original lowered position, thereby completing the full operating cycle of the dissolving mechanism at station H.

During the re-iilling of the liaslcs 145 with acid solvent from the tank 148, which operation begins simultaneously with the start of air blow-out of the acid solvent from the bulbs 19, the level of the acid solvent supply 149 in the tanl; drops below the lower end 163 of the upper probe electrode 161, thus breaking the electrical interconnection between the two probe electrodes 161, 162 and interrupting the electrical circuit to the relay C1126, causing its contacts n to close and complete the circuit to the solenoid S19 of the air valve 158, the energized solenoid then opening the said valve so as to actuate the air cylinder 157 in a manner to open the pinch clamp valve 156 in the acid solvent supply tube 155, thus allowing fresh acid solvent to enter the tank 14S from the supply tube 155. inasmuch as the rate of inflow of fresh acid solvent into the tank 148- from the supply tube 155 is less than the attendant rate of out-flow through the various (18) tank outlets 153 into the charge-measuring flasks 145, both the out-How of solvent from the tank into the flasks 145 and the in-ow of fresh solvent into the tank then continues until the acid solvent in the various flasks 14S and in the tank 148 equalizes itself at a common level L3 (Fig. 14) at which the acid solvent supply in the tanl; has risen to and ,inst re-contacts the lower end 163 of the upper electrode 161, at which time the electrical interconnection of the two probe electrodes 161 and 162 is rre-established and the electrical circuit to the relay CR26 thereby completed to cause the relay contacts a to re-open and cle-energize the solenoid S19, thus closing the air valve 158 which, in turn, causes the pinch clamp 156 to close and thus shut off the flow of fresh acid solvent intothe tank 148. The supply of neutralizing solution A149 in the tank A143 at station l is replenished in the same manner as the acid solvent supply `14E-9 in the tank 148 by means of an electronic relay C1127 similar to the relay C326 and arranged to energize the solenoid S20 of the valve A158 which controls the operation of the pinch clamp valve A156 in the neutralizing solution supply tube A155 for the said tank A143.

On the ensuing index of the line of trays 7 along the conveyor track 3, the tray at station H containing the bulbs 19 from which the reflector coatings have just been dissolved @if the bowl ends, is advanced to station i. on the tray lift 67 Where measured charges of a suitable neutralizing solution, such as a low percentage (4 or 5%) aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide, are introduced into and removed from the bulbs by the mechanism 65 which is of the same construction and operates iu exactly the same way as and in synchronized relation with the mechanism 64 at station H. T he charges of neutralizing solution introduced into the bulbs 19 at station i corre spond in amount to the charges of acid solvent introduced at station H, and they serve to neutralize or destroy the reector dissolving property of any small amounts of acid solvent remaining in the bulbs 19 so as not to thereafter' impair the retained portion of the reflector coating when the bulbs are subsequently inverted during the further operations performed thereon by the apparatus of the invention.

From the neutralizing station the trays 7 are successively indexed to idle station I onto the stationary portion of the conveyor tracl; 1 thercat, and thence into the tarn-over mechanism 211 at station K wherethetrays 

